Ohio Sports News

Last Update on September 02, 2010 01:30 EDT

BREWERS-REDS

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Left-hander Aroldis Chapman hit 103 mph on the radar gun during another sizzling inning Wednesday night, then got his first big-league win when the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cuban left-hander threw two pitches that clocked 103 mph -- his fastest yet -- in his second straight unhittable performance.

The Reds stretched their NL Central lead to a season-high eight games over St. Louis, which lost to Houston 5-2. Cincinnati hasn't enjoyed such a big edge since 1995, the last time it reached the playoffs.

Ryan Hanigan's pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh off Todd Coffey set up the Reds' three-game sweep.

REDS-ALONSO

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Cincinnati Reds called up first baseman Yonder Alonso to give them another power hitter on the bench for their September playoff run.

Alonso was the seventh overall pick in the June 2008 draft. He batted .296 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs in 101 games with Triple-A Louisville. Manager Dusty Baker says he'll be used primarily as a pinch-hitter and at first base if Joey Votto needs a day off.

The Reds recalled catcher Corky Miller from Louisville. Miller batted .246 with a homer in 24 games with the Reds earlier this season. They also called up right-handed reliever Carlos Fisher, who will be making his fourth stint in Cincinnati this season.

REDS-CHAPMAN

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Sometimes, left-hander Aroldis Chapman can't help but peek.

A murmur will go through the crowd when one of his express fastballs hits the catcher's mitt and the estimated speed is shown on the ballpark's scoreboard. Chapman says he'll occasionally glance back to see which big number is showing.

The Cuban defector introduced the major leagues to his 102 mph fastball on Tuesday night, hitting that big number twice while pitching a perfect inning in relief for the Cincinnati Reds.

Hitters don't get as caught up in the radar numbers as much as fans, but they know Chapman has something special. Hall of Famer Joe Morgan says a pitch coming that fast is intimidating to anyone.

WHITE SOX-INDIANS

CLEVELAND (AP) -- For the second straight game, Manny Ramirez watched from a few feet away as one of his new teammates hit a game-winning homer.

Claimed off waivers by Chicago for his renowned power, Ramirez provided only a bloop a single in his debut but he was on deck when Paul Konerko hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the White Sox a 6-4 win and three-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

Ramirez's debut with the White Sox was anything but a hit for seven innings. Chicago trailed 4-1 going into the eighth, but the White Sox rallied after the Indians pulled Carlos Carrasco, who was making his first start of 2010.

With the intimidating Ramirez waiting in the on-deck circle, Konerko connected with two outs off Justin Germano as the White Sox improved to 3-0 on a 10-game trip that will next take them to Boston, where Ramirez may not be welcomed back with open arms by Red Sox fans.

MANNY'S DEBUT

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Manny Ramirez has a hit and has been hit in his debut with the White Sox.

Ramirez blooped a single to right field leading off the seventh inning of his first game with Chicago, which claimed the 12-time All-Star on waivers for the playoff chase.

In the ninth, one batter after Paul Konerko hit a three-run homer to put Chicago ahead 5-4, reliever Justin Germano struck Ramirez in the back with a breaking ball. Ramirez took first and was lifted for a pinch-runner.

He grounded out to shortstop his first time up and then struck out looking to end the fourth against Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco, who was making his 2010 debut.

Criticized in the past for not hustling, Ramirez ran hard to first base before being thrown out in the second inning.

Ramirez batted fifth as the designated hitter in manager Ozzie Guillen's lineup for the series finale. He joined the White Sox on Tuesday.

INDIANS MOVES

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians have recalled right-hander Carlos Carrasco from Triple-A Columbus to start their series finale against the Chicago White Sox.

The club also recalled right-hander Jensen Lewis and utilityman Jordan Brown from the Clippers on the first day major league teams can expand their rosters.

Carrasco went 10-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 25 starts for Columbus. He was acquired last season from Philadelphia in the Cliff Lee trade. He went 0-4 in five starts for the Indians last season.

Lewis is back for his fifth stint this season with Cleveland. He's 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 25 relief appearances.

Brown spent nine games with the Indians earlier this season. He batted .226 and drove in one run.

BIG TEN-DIVISIONS

Big Ten splits up Michigan and Ohio State

The expanded Big Ten will place Ohio State and Michigan into different divisions.

The conference announced its divisional breakdown Wednesday night, though neither division has been named.

Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern will make up one division when the league grows to 12 teams in 2012. Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana are in the other.

Ohio State and Michigan will play each other every year on the last day of the Big Ten season, and could conceivably play each other twice in one season. Because they are in different divisions, the Buckeyes and Wolverines could play in the new Big Ten championship game.

OHIO ST-MICHIGAN

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio lawmaker is asking colleagues to join a cheer to keep the Ohio State-Michigan football game at the end of season.

Republican Kevin Coughlin of Cuyahoga Falls says he's sponsoring an Ohio Senate resolution urging the Big Ten not to tinker with the timing of the annual showdown.

League officials have suggested they may not be able to guarantee the late-season scheduling as the Big Ten expands to 12 teams in 2011 and moves to divisional play and a conference championship game.

Coughlin said in a statement Tuesday that it would be unfortunate to dilute one of college football's most important traditions. He says seven other senators are co-sponsoring his resolution.

T25-MARSHALL-OHIO ST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Call it "The Marshall Plan" for Thursday's game at No. 2 Ohio State.

In his head-coaching debut, Doc Holliday wants his Marshall Thundering Herd to play error-free on offense, force turnovers on defense, to not get rattled by the crowd -- and for Ohio State to be thinking ahead to its showdown nine days later against No. 13 Miami.

Much as he hopes the Buckeyes are looking past his team Thursday night, Holliday realizes it's Ohio State's coaching staff will take measures to make sure that doesn't happen.

His counterpart, Jim Tressel, acknowledged that his Ohio State team cannot afford to look past the Thundering Herd to its game with the Hurricanes on Sept. 11 in the Horseshoe.

Besides, the Buckeyes' game with Purdue last year serves as a cautionary tale.

CLARETT COMEBACK

Clarett confident of success; won't discuss past

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Maurice Clarett sidestepped questions about his past in his first comments since signing with Omaha's United Football League team, saying he wants to discuss what lies ahead.

The former Ohio State star said Wednesday that he hoped but was unsure he would be given a chance to play again. He said his legs are fresh and he's confident he can be successful once he readjusts to the rigors of football.

Clarett hasn't played in a game since helping lead Ohio State to the 2002 national championship. He broke NCAA rules for accepting gifts, lost a bid to enter the NFL after his freshman year, got cut by the Denver Broncos once he was drafted, and then served 3 1/2 years in prison for his role in a robbery.

BOOMING BIG EAST

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Six years after nearly collapsing, the Big East Conference is booming.

Louisville is the latest school to spend millions renovating its football stadium in hopes of bolstering its program. The Cardinals will host rival Kentucky in front of a sellout crowd of 56,000 on Saturday.

The school added an upper deck on the east side of the stadium, hundreds of club level seats, 33 luxury suites and a south terrace that provides a view of both the field and nearby Churchill Downs.

Rutgers completed a similar renovation last year and averaged over 49,000 fans, an increase of nearly 20,000 over 2004.

Cincinnati, which has won two straight conference championships, is also mulling its options for an upgrade.

TOP 100 RECRUITS-EAST

UNDATED (AP) -- Ohio has its share of high school football talent and the Ohio State Buckeyes do their best to make sure those prospects stay home.

Eleven players from the Rust Belt state are on The Associated Press East Region 25 list of prospects -- with several saying they are headed to Ohio State.

Coach Jim Tressel has a verbal commitment from one of the top quarterbacks in the region -- Braxton Miller, a standout at Huber Heights Wayne High School. Among the other Ohio prospects staying in-state are Michael Bennett, a defensive lineman from Centreville, and defensive back Ron Tanner, a Columbus Eastmoor Academy senior.

Among the top talent heading elsewhere is Troy DePriest, a senior linebacker from Springfield and West Chester Lakota West senior Ryan Kelly. Both have chosen top-ranked Alabama.